


Unexpected Meeting on Peace Avenue

by Ecchima



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, At least as slow as I can make it, Bank Robbery, Canon-Typical Violence, Homelessness, I'll add more characters as they arrive, I'll update the tags as I go, M/M, Minor Character Death, Pining Hanzo, Rape does not happen tho, Sexual Assault, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Young Hanzo, Zenyatta is Hanzo's best wingman, college student Hanzo, i think that's all for now, it's brief but it's there, japanese hot springs, young Jesse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-09-28 03:29:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10069139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ecchima/pseuds/Ecchima
Summary: After a bank robbery gone wrong, Jesse left the Deadlock gang and ran as far away as he could, using what little money he had. With no real destination in mind, he arrived at San Francisco, a city he knows nothing about. With only two dollars and ten cents, he just hopes he’ll manage to survive and that neither the police nor the Deadlock gang will catch him.Meanwhile, Hanzo arrived at San Francisco at the end of August with the order to lose his strong Japanese accent while studying at the University. He’s barely gotten out and honestly doesn’t want to… Until he gets a crush on a lonely cowboy.





	1. When San Fracisco becomes misty

**Author's Note:**

> WOWIE, HELLO EVERYONE!! No, you're not dreaming, this really is another multi-chaptered fic I'm working on and I already want to apologize for the slow updates. Because, believe me, it will happen.
> 
> Concerning the sexual assault, the girl is alright but if it really bothers you, avoid reading from the moment Tina says her name to "Without even thinking, Jesse aimed his peacekeeper at Gary’s head" There won't be any more sexual assaults in this fic after that.
> 
> One more thing, I really wanted to post this now even tho my beta didn't finish editing (simply because I'm too impatient to share this AU with y'all) so I'll edit with the corrected version tomorrow morning :)

It’s the beginning of the afternoon when Jesse finally finds a good spot to sit on in the heavily populated avenue. A little corner, just his size, where he would be protected from the cold wind and the shop owners’ view while still being visible to the crowd and not too far away from an alleyway he could use to escape if trouble decided to come his way again.

As soon as his butt touches the ground however, he wishes he hadn’t thrown away his jacket just so he could sit on it and spare his ass from the biting cold of the asphalt. Trying not to think about the cold or why exactly he had to throw his jacket away, Jesse sets his hat down in front of him and throws his last two dollars and ten cents inside. He wishes he had a pen to write on a cardboard piece but he guesses that if he had a choice, he’d rather get himself a blanket with that money. Maybe he’d steal a pen somewhere later… And food. Had it been in other circumstances, he would already have stolen all that, and more. He would have found an empty apartment and broken in before calling his family to come and help him.

Jesse scoffs. _His family_. He couldn’t keep calling them that. He’s better off without them, especially after what happened. He sighs and closes his eyes. Deadlock had been his family for a long time though, ever since he ran off from his dad.

He remembers how it all started as if it happened only yesterday. He’d been running from the cops that day, looking frantically for a safe place to hide. It took him a while but he had found one, only he wasn’t the only one hiding there. Deadlock members, at least ten of them, were all around him. He remembers how big they all seemed to him, how he thought he would die here and there. But instead of attacking him, they asked him what he was doing here, why he was hiding and then, finally, if he had a place to come back to.

They had accepted him in, given him shelter, just like that. They were just a small biker gang at the time, Jimmy was still the one in command and for once, things were ok. It didn’t last long though, the gang grew bigger and greedier. Rodriguez always wanted more while Jimmy wanted to keep things simple and comfortable enough for “his family”. They fought, Rodriguez killed Jimmy and things started to change. The gang still called itself a family but it sure didn’t feel like it anymore. It was a crime organization, dealing all sorts of things in the shadows, stealing more valuable goods, killing people on occasions.

Jesse only stayed because he had nowhere else to go…

Until the bank robbery, two days ago.

Jesse and five other guys had been chosen by Rodriguez himself to accompany him to the bank. It wasn’t their first bank robbery and it wouldn’t be the last, but this time they had chosen a bigger establishment. Everything went rather well in the beginning. There were twenty hostages at most, and no one managed to call the police. Rodriguez immediately went down in the vaults with his best men, briefly telling Jesse and Gary, a new recruit, to keep an eye on the hostages while the other three kept watch of the streets and entrances.

But the problem with Gary is, it’s that he gets bored.

That’s when things started to turn sour.

“I’m so boooooored, why do we have to be two watching those rich scums? It’s not like they’re going to try and do something stupid.” Gary whined, pointing his gun under the jaw of a young woman, making her look up at him. “Are you sweetie?”

“We’re not supposed to interact with the hostages, Gary.” Jesse interjected, incapable to keep his mouth shut, as always. “Lower yer gun.”

“I don’t take orders from you, McCree.” Gary spat, yanking the women’s hair, making her whimper with fear. “What’s your name, sweetie? I bet it’s as pretty as your eyes.”

The woman took a sharp breath and closed her eyes, a few tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Are you deaf, sweetie?” Gary asked, sinking his gun further under her jaw. When she shook her head, he yanked her hair harder. “Then tell me your name.”

“T-Tina…” she cried.

 “See, it wasn’t that hard, Tina.” Gary said, letting go of her hair and patting her head. “Say, you’ve got quite the airbags down there, enough to fill the hands of an honest man,” he added, caressing one of her breasts. “How big are they, uh?”

“Leave her alone, Gary.” Jesse spat, his hand on his gun.

The other ignored him, leaning closer to Tina’s ear to murmur something to her. Probably something lewd seeing how she squirmed to try and put distance between them. Gary chuckled, grasping her boob with more force.

“Come on, Jess, let the kid have his fun!” One of the lookouts exclaimed.

“Show us the goods, Gary!” Another hooted.

Jesse almost missed it when Gary licked her ear before pulling away, almost. He was already fuming back then, and even if Gary had stopped here and there, he would probably have left Deadlock after that. He may be a criminal but there were things Jesse McCree couldn't live with and witnessing his “family” commit and encourage sexual harassment was one of those things.

He knew he would die if he ever pointed his gun on either one of those guys so he tried to keep it in as long as he could, repeating _just one more mission_ in his head, a silent mantra to keep him going... Until Gary tore Tina’s dress open to show her breasts, then started to lick one of her nipples as his hand slowly went up her tights…

Without even thinking, Jesse aimed his peacekeeper at Gary’s head and immediately, three other guns aimed back at him. Everything fell silent except for Tina’s sobs.

“Put your gun down, _niño_. You two can settle your little different at home.”

Jesse looked at Tina then, really looked at her. Was his life worth more than some rich girl’s dignity? He mentally scoffed, when has his life been worth anything anyway?

“Well, would you look at the time,” Jesse said as he closed an eye and started to feel the heat envelop him.

“What about it?” Gary asked, perplex. He hadn’t been with them long enough to know what was about to happen but Jesse swore he saw the other three guys take a step back.

“It’s hiiiigh noon.” He smirked, pulling the trigger so fast he didn’t even hear the four detonations, only one big BANG before they all fell on the ground, each with a bullet right between their eyes. He exhaled, the heat was gone, leaving him cold like death.

Jesse fell to his knees, exhausted and breathing heavily. His right eye, the one he used to shoot, started to burn and Jesse knew he wouldn’t be able to see with it for the next few days. Despite how cold he felt, Jesse took his jacket off and stood up.

“Tina, right?” He said, looking down at the girl. She tried to put distance between them but nodded quickly. “Can you walk?” She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded again. Jesse sighed, “I ain’t goin’ to attack you,” he murmured, securing the jacket around her shoulders. “Just promise you’ll burn this thing for me, a’ight?”

He stood up a bit too fast and felt the world spinning. He could hear the guy Rodriguez took into the vault with him shouting, asking what happened. He winced. They were running out of time.

“Anyone here knows where the security lever is?”

“It’s over there, behind the health advert!” A man pointed.

Jesse raised his eyebrows at him. “Smart place. A’ight, y’all should probably run now!” He yelled, activating the system.

Thick steel panels started descending over the doors as a shrill noise resounded in the vast hall of the bank. Jesse heard the guy he left behind swearing loudly as he sprinted out of the bank and on the road with the hostages. The doors closed soon after the last person left and Jesse let out a breath of relief. He was still alive. The hostages were still alive.

He let his gaze wander into the crowd until he could spot that awful leather jacket, emblazoned with the Deadlock symbol. The man who had given him the position of the security lever had his arm around Tina and Jesse realized how similar they looked. Must have been her dad. It was good to know she wouldn’t be alone after everything she went through and he wouldn’t be surprised if she never wanted to visit her bank ever again.

Police sirens pull Jesse out of his thoughts and back into the present. He was still a criminal, he had killed four men down there and he had no doubt they would put him in jail. Or worse, execute him. This state wasn’t against death sentences last he checked and he really didn’t want to stick around to find out if he was right.

Adopting a slow and easy-going pace, Jesse did his best to look like he was just some innocent kid about to take a bus to go home. Except he wasn’t going home, he was running as far away from it as possible.

First, he took a bus to the city’s biggest bus station. From there, he took the first bus he could catch, not even checking whether it was going north, south, east or west. The destination didn’t matter, as long as it was far away from Santa Fe… Several buses and a quick nap later, Jesse arrived at San Francisco.

Jesse shivers, a cold breeze taking him back to the present. He’d still rather die frozen to death in the windy streets of San Francisco than wear anything emblazoned with the Deadlock symbol again. He chuckles, remembering the day Jimmy gave it to him and how much he had loved the thing. In the end, the item that gave him a home took everything he had managed to get over the years.

“What is so funny?”

Jesse jumps a bit at the voice, not expecting someone to talk to him.

“Nothin’, sir. I just realized I'd rather die here alone than stay warm with the people I used to call family.” He drawls, looking up at the man in front of him. Asian, not much older than Jesse but clearly richer. The kind of guy who has enough money to buy a new car instead of changing a tire, just because it’s cleaner and easier.

The man huffs and smiles, “I am not unfamiliar with the feeling.”

Jesse expects to see him walk away, maybe put a couple of bucks in his hat in compassion; but the man stands there, as if lost in his own thoughts.

“Soooooooooo, what brings you on,” Jesse pauses and squints at the sign at the next intersection to read the name of the avenue before facing the man again; “Peace Avenue today if you don’t mind me asking?”

“One of my… Acquaintances keeps insisting I go out more. I was hoping I could find a small restaurant and have dinner somewhere quiet.”

At the mention of food, Jesse’s stomach awakes, growling loudly and making him blush in embarrassment. He tries to laugh it off, patting his belly.

“Sorry ‘bout that. Looks like lil’ Timmy is getting impatient here.”

“Perhaps you could join me then.”

“Uh?”

“For dinner…” The man clarifies and Jesse swears he sees him blush.

He thinks about it for a moment, on one hand he could get a free meal in a warm place but on the other hand, he doesn’t know this man. Maybe this is a trap, maybe the man works for the cops or worse, for Deadlock. But then Jesse looks at him in the eyes and…

“I’d sure love to, if it’s no trouble.” _Fuck_.

“I would not have asked you if that was not the case.”

Jesse quickly gets back on his feet to avoid looking at those dark brown eyes any longer. How could he look so earnest and innocent at his age? If this is a trap, he’s definitely screwed.

He grabs his hat and counts the few dollars he has before putting it back on his head. “I saw a burger place on my way here, looked like some sorta cozy pub. Unless you’d prefer to pick something else yourself.”

“A burger sounds good, is it far from here?”

Jesse takes a few seconds to think, trying to remember the way. “Should be just a few blocks down this street so not too far, no.”

“Perfect, I let you lead us then.”

It only takes them around twenty minutes of awkwardly walking in silence to reach the restaurant but it’s all worth it once they get inside. There are a few customers, seated in couches along the windows and quietly enjoying their meal; a bartender behind a bar lined with high stools, playing a game on his phone and a waitress walking towards them.

“Dinner for two people?” She asks, hastily fixing her apron.

Jesse is about to point out how stupid that question is –they are clearly only two- but the man is faster.

“Yes, a table in a corner if possible.”

“Sure, follow me please.”

Once they’re seated, the waitress brings them two menu and some water before leaving again. Jesse looks at the prices first, then reads the descriptions, making sure not to pick something too expensive yet still filling. He catches the other staring at him as he puts his menu down and raises an eyebrow. He swears the man blushes again before hiding his face behind his menu.

“Uh… Is there somethin’ on my face or…?”

“No, you simply looked quite serious about choosing your meal. It is… Intriguing.”

“You never check the prices and compositions when you order?”

“Why would I check the prices?” The man seems confused, which makes Jesse laugh. Rich people really live in a different world.

“I’m pretty sure most people check the prices before they buy or order something.”

“Do they not just order what they want to eat?”

“What if they can’t afford it?” The man still looks confused so Jesse goes on. “Let’s say they earned 50 bucks that day and they don’t have money aside. They want to eat a main course at,” he opens the menu and points at an expensive burger, “25$ but then they realize they’re still hungry because this burger here isn’t filling, it just has foie gras in it. Who puts foie gras in a burger?” he asks, squinting suspiciously at the composition. “Anyway, they’re still hungry so they get a dessert, let’s say this one, at 12$. Surely after such a meal, they’re gonna feel heavy and want to order tea or coffee, that’s an extra 2$ to 3$.”

“I fail to see your point, this does not exceed 50$.”

“You’re right, they still have 11$ but then they have to pay the bus or a cab to go home, maybe buy stuff for breakfast on the way and they can’t do all that with just 11$.”

“I see…” The man closes his menu and looks out through the window before continuing. “I apologize if I sound foolish, I was not raised to see the world under this angle.”

Jesse studies his face then, trying to read his expression. He looks… Almost sad.

“One of the guys once told me that rich people live in a different world than the rest of us, with different rules and different issues but rules and issues nonetheless. Now I imagine that if no one told you the rules, it might be hard to understand the game.” Jesse smiles sheepishly, he’s never been really good at comforting but he just can’t stay quiet neither.

The man chuckles –and damn, he has a pretty smile. “That was pretty good, do you mind if I write it down?”

Jesse blinks, surprised. “Errrr, no? Go ahead.”

“Thank you. One of my classmates is from Nepal, he’s fascinated about humanity and the way we interact with things, including our pairs. I think he would quite like what you just said.” He explains, typing on his phone.

“He sounds like an interestin’ folk to be around,” Jesse offers, slightly uncomfortable.

“He is.”

“You said he’s your classmate? You’re here to study aboard?”

“What makes you so sure that I am not from here?”

Jesse absentmindedly scratches his cheek, “the accent kinda gives you away, du-sir.”

“Please, call me Hanzo. You are right though, Timmy; my father insisted I come study here for this reason.”

“Uuuuh… My name’s not Timmy.”

Hanzo frowns. “But earlier, you said…”

“Oh, oh no no no no!! I just,” Jesse blushes violently and looks away, he’s so embarrassed he wishes he could just disappear. “I just call my belly that, ‘t is not my real name.”

“Are you ready to order?” The waitress asks, making them both jump with her sudden apparition. Jesse’s so happy for the change of subject, he thinks he could kiss her.

“Yes, I’ll take the double buffalo chedar burger please!” He blurts out, pointing at the burger on the menu in front of him.

“I will take the same.” Hanzo says, calmly handing out his own menu.

“How do you want the steaks? Rare or medium rare?”

“Rare,” They say in perfect sync before looking at each other in surprise while the waitress nods and trots back to the kitchen. An awkward silence settles between them before Hanzo decides to break it.

“So… If Timmy is the name of your stomach, may I ask what the rest of your person is called?” There is a sly grin on Hanzo’s face, a bit hesitant at first but more determined when Jesse returns the smile.

“Well, people call me of sort of names,” he says, leaning on the table. Hanzo chuckles but plays along, leaning closer as well. “Deadeye, _cabr_ _ó_ _n_ , handsome,” he winks; “but my friends call me Jesse.”

“Only your friends? Should I call you Deadeye then?” Hanzo teases, leaning back a bit.

“Only my friends and foolish rich strangers paying me a burger.” Jesse can’t help but grin, he’s starting to like Hanzo a lot more than he thought he would.

The waitress comes back with their orders then and Jesse has to use all of his self-control to eat slowly and not inhale his burger in one go. He takes small bites, savoring the mix of meat and cheddar when he notices Hanzo suspiciously eying his own meal. Amused, he pauses to watch as his companion takes extra care to cut his burger in equal parts with fluid, graceful motions.

“Why are you laughing?” Hanzo asks when he notices Jesse is struggling to contain his laughter.

“I’ve never seen anyone bein’ so serious about cutting his burger right!” He exclaims, laughing a bit harder now that Hanzo is looking at him with his big, surprised eyes.

“Oh, I see.” He answers soflty, looking at Jesse’s messy plate full of sauce and bits of garniture everywhere. He chuckles, “It is like you said earlier; we have different rules.”

“And yet, you still invited me to share a meal.”

“I am not sure why I asked you to join me but I do not regret it.” Hanzo says, looking at Jesse in the eyes, “You are good company.”

“Well thank you kindly, Hanzo. You are not bad yourself,” Jesse grins. “And this modest burger is absolutely divine!” He adds, putting a slightly bigger piece in his mouth for emphasis, making Hanzo laugh.

They finish eating in companionable silence, simply enjoying their meal as well as each other’s presence. It’s almost troubling how easy it is to chat with Hanzo although Jesse still fears someone might recognize him. But for now, he’s happy to forget about the cops, about Deadlock and about the cold night in the street that awaits him.

“Have you been living in San Francisco for a long time?” Hanzo asks after the waitress came to gather their plates and told them to go pay at the bar. “You seem to know the city well.”

“Nah, I arrived this mornin’. I’ve only been to Pier 39 so far.”

Hanzo frowns and pushes a strand of hair away from his face. “Did you try to take a boat there?”

“No, I went to see the sea lions!” Jesse laughs, standing up and putting his hat back on his head. “They’re mighty cute.”

“Ah yes, I have heard some of my classmates talk about it but never found the time to go there myself.”

“You should definitely go! I saw they even have an aquarium nearby with otters in it!! Otters! Can you believe it?” Jesse says excitedly, he’s always loved animals.

Hanzo chuckles and hands his credit card over to pay. “Perhaps you could show me then. It sounds rather exciting.”

“Sure! I quite like the spot I found on Peace Avenue, you can come see me here whenever you want. The pier’s not too far from here.” Jesse smiles, holding the door for his companion.

As soon as they’re outside however, the cold hits him hard and Jesse starts shivering, his teeth clacking violently. Damn, he doesn’t even know where he’s going to spend the night. He didn’t see any subway signs and doubts there is any with all these hills. He briefly contemplates breaking into a car to get some sleep but quickly dismisses the idea. It would be too risky to break the law so soon after the bank robbery.

Hanzo coughs, interrupting his train of thoughts and making him look up. His companion has shrugged off his long expensive coat and is holding out to him. Jesse hesitantly takes it and feels the soft fabric between his fingers.

“Why are you giving me your coat? Ain’t you gonna need it?” He asks, dumbfounded.

“I will be fine, I have enough coats to dress a small army.” Hanzo shrugs, “In addition, the color suits you better.”

Jesse looks down at the brown fabric, and back up at Hanzo. He didn’t pay much mind earlier but he has to agree with the man: this shade of brown just doesn’t work with the other’s long dark hair and chocolate eyes. Slowly, carefully, he puts it on and closes the buttons. It’s a bit too big for him, just like everything he ever tries on. He really needs to start exercising if he wants to stop looking like a twig. However, the coat is warmer than it looks and Jesse sighs as the warmth engulfs him.

“Thank you, Hanzo.”

“It is nothing, I am looking forward to visit the pier with you.” He says as he gets into a cab he had called after paying for their meal. “Have a good night.”

Jesse watches as his companion closes the door and the cab starts moving again, soon disappearing at a corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title comes from a french Monopoly carboard game. I say french because on the french version, the streets are all real streets you can find in Paris! The most expensive streets being "Rue de la Paix" (Peace street) and "Avenue des Champs Elysés" (which everyone knows as the most beautiful avenue in the world, I'm not joking, I checked)
> 
> The name of the title comes from "San Francisco" a song by Maxime Le Forestier. I didn't know what to name the chapter and then I remembered the song so...
> 
> As always, if you liked the fic, if there's something you'd like to see in the future or if you just want to be nice, you can leave me a comment, those are my life force. I'll see you (soon, I hope) for another chapter and thank you for reading ♥


	2. Rolling in the dew is what keeps shepherds pretty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse is a stinky boy who seriously needs a bath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I managed to update pretty quickly considering how slow I usually am haha! Today, I'd like to use this space to thank a few people:
> 
> First, Deviation for being an amazing beta and for listening to my ramblings about this fic everyday! (go read their works, they're really good!!)  
> Second, to Cibee because I just really like to talk about this fic with them (they too have amazing fics that you should check out!!)  
> And finally, to the S.S. Overshippers discord server, for helping me with Jesse's slang in this chapter! But enough talking, please enjoy!!

The sun hangs low on the horizon, casting the first lights of the day when Jesse wakes up. He groans and hides his head in Hanzo’s oversized coat, not ready to get up and face the day just yet… Only to stick his head right back out because of the smell. It must have been roughly a week since he took his last shower and, frankly, he _stinks_.

Wondering where the hell he’s gonna be able to find a working shower and some soap, Jesse sits. He scratches absently at the small circular indents on his cheek: leftover from the bench he's been sleeping on since arriving. Then, he looks up at the time on the digital clock announcing the next bus and sighs. It’s 7am, the walk to Peace Avenue from here would take him approximatively an hour and a half so he’ll miss most of the morning rush. He could probably find some coffee at the bus stops around the Avenue, their owners leaving them there since drinks are forbidden on public transports but he decides to explore the city instead.

It's been four days since he met Hanzo; the man never came back, not that Jesse's surprised by the fact. So instead of sitting there waiting for a stranger who might never come back, he decided to explore between rush hours, when there are less people in the streets. So far, he’s found five places where he can eat free food, the owners preferring to give it away instead of discarding it at the end of the day. Most of those places are sushi shops though, and while Jesse isn’t against raw fish –especially since he doesn’t have to pay or steal it- he misses meat.

After walking for half an hour, Jesse stops in front of the Asian Art Museum. There's only a bunch of tourists there, waiting for the museum to open, but what piques Jesse’s interest are the bins. They seem clean and where there are tourists you can usually find maps.

With little thought towards his dignity, Jesse starts digging into the bins. The first one is sticky from a half finished cup of soda, leaving his fingers gross. The second one is empty except for a few vouchers and tickets, the third and fourth ones smell like something died inside but it’s within the fifth bin that Jesse strikes gold. First, he finds a box of donuts that’s still warm from the shop and when he opens it, only two are missing. Then, he finds a couple of unused bus tickets, a banana someone threw out because it started to get brown, and a map.

Looking up, Jesse thanks whatever good star is responsible for his fortune before he finds a corner to sit and eat his makeshift breakfast. After eating half the donuts in the box, he has to agree with whoever threw it out: they are pretty disgusting. He sighs, debating whether or not he should finish the box when a girl approaches him.

“Hello, I saw you take the box of donuts my friend threw away earlier,” she says with a heavy accent Jesse can’t really place. “They’re too sweet and the flavor is kinda weird? So I bought you a bottle of water.”

Jesse takes the bottle she’s holding out to him and removes his hat off to place it over his heart. “Thank you kindly lil’ miss.”

“You’re welcome,” she giggles before trotting back to the group of tourists waiting at the top of the stairs.

After several big gulps of water, Jesse finishes his breakfast happily before looking at the map. There aren’t too many indications on it unless you’re looking for a museum or other touristy places, but at least he knows where he is. Making sure he’s reading the map right,

Jesse stands and goes back to the bin to throw away the empty box and the banana peel. He isn’t too far from Japan Town so he decides to head there to investigate.

It’s a beautiful day, still cold and windy but beautiful nonetheless. There aren’t many tourists or tour buses in the street but the museum doesn’t open for approximately two hours. He decides to take a shortcut through a park and is stunned to find flowers blooming under the trees. Hellebores, primroses and pansies, according to the name tags.

When he finally arrives, Jesse decides to circle the neighborhood before exploring it’s heart. He can see some sort of weird tower: cylindrical, with five roof and what looks like a big antenna of some sort at the top. If one of the shops sells food, he might be able to scavenge some things from the garbage containers.

He’s about to turn at a corner when Jesse spots a weird door with red columns on each side, like in those Japanese temples you see on pictures. Curious, he comes closer to read the signs before realizing that they’re all written in Japanese. Only the name of the establishment and the opening times seem to have been translated.

“Jesse?” Someone calls, making him jump. He turns slowly, only to see-

“Howdy, Hanzo!” Jesse grins.

“What are you doing here?” The other asks, puzzled.

“I’m explorin’! I found this map this mornin’ an’ I saw I wasn’t too far from here so I decided to take a look around. What about you?”

“Me?”

“Yeah, what are you doin’ ‘round these parts?”

“Oh, the owner of this establishment lets me use the baths before it opens. I do not have class on Tuesday mornings so I come here.” Hanzo explains, scrutinizing him.

Jesse squirms under the other’s gaze, he doesn’t know how dirty he looks but he knows how badly he smells. He’s about to make out an excuse and run away when Hanzo surprises him once more.

“Perhaps you could,” he starts, sounding unsure. “Come with me ?”

“With you?” Jesse asks, looking back at him.

“Yes.”

“It’s not that I don’t like you, Hanzo but we barely know each other an’ while I know I need to take a bath, I really do but-” He tries, embarrassed and blushing violently.

“But?”

Jesse takes a deep breath, “I’m not that kind of guy.”

Hanzo frowns, confused. “You are not the kind of man to take a bath?”

“No! I mean, yes! I love baths, they ain’t the problem!”

“What is it then?”

“That’s too intimate!” Jesse finally blurts out. He’s never been so embarrassed in his whole life.

“I do not understand, these springs are spacious. We do not have to stay close to each other.”

Jesse hides his face in his hands. “But we have to be _naked_ …” _What if I get a boner?_ He doesn’t say.

Hanzo lets out a soft, “ _Oh_ ” and when Jesse looks up, he can see the other’s cheeks getting pink.

“If it troubles you so much, perhaps we could avoid facing each other...”

Jesse hesitates, he really doesn’t want to share a bath with a stranger but… Hanzo doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to take advantage of someone else. He’s paid for his dinner, even given Jesse his own coat. Surely, Jesse can trust him to respect his privacy.

“You promise you won’t look?” He asks anyway, just to make sure.

Hanzo blushes but looks sincere when he promises not to look at him. They stand there in awkward silence for a moment then Hanzo opens the door before holding it for Jesse, just like he had at the restaurant.

The inside doesn’t look very traditional like Jesse had thought it would. There’s a modern reception desk and two entryway without doors, just a cloth partially covering the top adorned with Japanese symbols. Not knowing which way to go, he lets Hanzo lead them to the door on the left and takes off his boots when the other instructs him to do so. Beyond the door, there are two rows of lockers that look like the ones they used at the pool, back in Santa Fe, when Jimmy took them there one summer.

“This is where we undress. Make sure to only keep your towel with you.” Hanzo says, turning his back to Jesse.

“And what if I don’t have a towel?” He asks, opening one of the lockers.

Hanzo doesn’t answer so Jesse thinks he’ll just have to do without one. He starts undressing, taking care to fold his coat as neatly as possible. He stops when he notices the other is now beside him.

“You do not have a bag, have you?” The man asks, his eyes not leaving Jesse’s face.

“Uhhh… No?”

“And you did not have a coat either.” Hanzo continues, a slight frown forming on his face.

Jesse freezes. He can feel his heartbeat drumming in his ears as he glances back and forth between Hanzo and the door. Should he flee? Is the other going to call the police to arrest him?

“Jesse, I do not know what scares you but I only wish to help you.” Hanzo says, lightly touching the other’s shoulder, making him jump.

“Why?” He croaks, “Why do you want to help _me_? There are plenty of homeless dudes out there.”

A slight blush appears on Hanzo’s cheeks, “I do not know.”

Jesse frowns, he can recognize a lie when he hears one.

“Does it really matter though? Is the fact I wish to help not enough in itself?”

“How am I supposed to trust you if I don’t know your motivations?”

Jesse immediately regrets voicing his distress when he sees how hurt Hanzo looks. He wants to apologize but it’s true: he doesn’t trust Hanzo, not entirely. He blinks, trying –and failing- to find a solution but the hurt look is gone, replaced by the best poker face Jesse has ever seen.

“You are right not to trust me, a stranger you met only four days ago. It is only wise.” Hanzo’s voice is so cold, Jesse almost shivers from the tone. “However, I am a man of honor and I give you my word: I only wish to help.”

Silence settles again between them until a small and uncertain smile appears on Hanzo’s face.

“Will you let me help you, Jesse?”

He doesn’t have to think for long. He might not trust Hanzo, but he does need help, and so few people are willing to provide it these days…

“Yeah,” he answers so softly, it’s almost a whisper.

Hanzo’s expression grows warmer. “Thank you,” he says before turning away once more. “I will ask my roommate to bring you the clothes I can no longer wear.”

“Thanks…”

“I forgot to mention this establishment lends towels.”

“What?” Jesse turns to face him, realizing too late that Hanzo had resumed undressing himself and is now shirtless. Feeling a blush creeping onto his face, Jesse quickly spins back.

“You may borrow one of the towels on your right.”

“And you tell me that _after_ making me stress the hell out over it?”

He hears Hanzo chuckle at that and can’t help but grin. This guy really is something.

In the next room, there is only one huge bath of steaming water and several shower heads lining the walls. A huge representation of the well-known Kurosawa wave decorates the wall above the bath where a few stones reproduces the look of a natural hot spring.

Jesse whistles, “That’s the prettiest bath I’ve ever seen!” He exclaims, “But why are there showers?”

Despite his promise not to face Jesse earlier, Hanzo spins to look at him in the eyes. He’s scrunching his nose to make a sort of disgusted face that just makes Jesse want to laugh.

“It is -what do you Americans say?”

“Highfalutin’?” He watches Hanzo’s expression shift to incomprehension and continues with a smirk. “It’s plumb makin’ the place fetchin’ if I do say so myself.” Messing with Hanzo might not be very nice considering everything he’s doing for him but it’s all worth it when the other’s face scrunches up in confusion.

“The place… Fetching? No, I am looking for a synonym of dirty.”

“… Gross?”

“Yes,” Hanzo says, regaining his composure. “It is ‘gross’ not to wash yourself before taking a bath.”

“What? But why take a shower if you’re gonna wash yourself in the bath too?”

“Because,” Hanzo turns his back to Jesse and sits on one of the wooden stools. “The bath is not for washing, it is a way of relaxation.”

“…I still don’t get it.”

“Would you enjoy bathing in not only your own, but everyone else’s filth?”

Jesse thinks for a moment, judging by the size of the bath and the number of lockers, there can be up to at least a hundred people in the bath at the same time. If they were all as dirty as he is now, he sure as hell wouldn’t appreciate to stay in there. A sudden flashback of a naked Rodriguez pops in his mind and he physically cringes. Even if the man was clean and he was being paid for it, Jesse wouldn’t share a bath with that _pig_.

Feeling dirtier just thinking about it, he sits on a stool and turns the shower on. He waits for the water to heat up a bit before angling the spray over his head and sighs when the warm droplets hits him. The shower feels divine but actually washing himself with soap and shampoo feels even better.

He’s still scrubbing his skin as hard as he can when he hears Hanzo walking towards the bath, his feet producing a small wet sound. He waits to hear the telltale splash of a body entering in contact with water before glancing at the other. Hanzo, true to his words, has his back facing Jesse’s direction, his long hair elegantly tied in a bun.

“Why didn’t you wash your hair?” He asks, cleaning under his nails now that he’s done with the rest of his body.

“I never wash it here.”

“Why?”

“I told you, bathing is more about relaxation than cleaning.”

Jesse shrugs and rinses himself before joining Hanzo in the bath. The water isn’t as hot as he was expecting it to be, making it easy for him to enter. Careful not to sit too close to Hanzo for his own comfort or too far away -which would be a bit rude- he finally settles down and allows himself to relax, letting out a deep sigh.

“Be careful not to fall asleep.” Hanzo says, amusement clear in his voice.

“I won’t, I woke up only a few hours ago.”

There is a pause then, just long enough to be slightly uncomfortable.

“Jesse… May I ask you something a bit embarrassing?”

“Hanzo, we’re already sharing a bath and you’ve seen me panhandling and dirty before. I don’t really think you can embarrass me with a simple question right now.”

“Did you eat recently?”

“Yeah… I did.”

“And today?”

Jesse sighs, if Hanzo really wants to know, there’s no harm telling him, right?

“I found a box of donuts and a banana in a bin near a museum. Someone gave me a bottle of water. I also found a couple of places where I can get free food if they didn’t sell everythin’. I know you’re tryin’ to help and I’m real grateful for that but I don’t want to weigh you down either, y’know? I’m gonna be 17 in a couple of months, I’m a big guy.”

“It is not a matter of age, Jesse. I am simply concerned about you.” Hanzo answers, sounding mildly annoyed.

“Why didn’t you visit me on Peace Avenue then?” He snaps back, irritation clear in his voice.

“I did. Last Sunday, around 4pm. You were not where we first met so I kept walking down the Avenue, then back up on the other side. I did not find you so I called a taxi and left.”

“ _Oh_ … Yeah, I decided to start explorin’ the city. There are less people passin’ in the afternoon an’ I thought, since you’re going to uni, you wouldn’t have the time to come then.” Jesse explains, a bit ashamed of his behavior towards the other.

Hanzo sighs, “We could agree on a specific hour and place to meet to avoid this kind of situation.”

“This sounds like a date,” Jesse laughs. “But yeah, let’s do that!”

They spend the rest of their bath talking about times and places where they could easily meet. They agree on the Asian Museum of Art, the Peace Pagoda –which Jesse keeps calling “the weird tower thing”, Union Square and the Aquarium on Pier 39. Hanzo tells him about his time table at uni, how much time he needs to work on his assignments and when he has to practice archery which leads to Jesse bragging about his high score on the old shooting game he used to play at the arcade.

Hanzo chuckles and gets out of the bath. “You sound like my younger brother.”

“You have a brother?” Jesse gapes. “What is he like?”

His companion pauses, probably considering his choices. After a while, he answers a simple “green” and tells Jesse he can get out of the bath as well.

 _Green? Does that mean his brother is some kind of hippy?_ He thinks, then stops in his tracks. Hanzo has high cheekbones, long silky hair, he practices archery and the other night he put a lot of effort into eating his burger elegantly. Would that make him an elf of some kind? Are they all elves?

After drying himself, Jesse goes back to the locker room and pauses when he hears Hanzo talk with someone. Unsure whether he should listen in on their conversation or make his presence known, he just waits there, frozen in place and out of hearing range… Until he sneezes.

 _So much for discretion_. He thinks bitterly, adjusting the towel around his waist and entering the locker room.

On the other side, there’s a rather tall guy with six little dots on his forehead and a streak of red makeup under his eyes. His skin is slightly darker than Jesse’s and his hair looks like it’s been shaved in the past month but is growing back out.

“Hello, you must be Jesse.” The man says with a weird wave of his hand that reminds him of Baymax, the big marshmallow looking robot from that animated movie he had wanted to watch so badly a few years ago. “My name is Zenyatta Tekhartha, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

Jesse reaches above his head, mimicking tipping his hat. “Name’s Jesse, nice to meetcha,” he drawls. “But you already knew that, apparently.”

“Yes,” Zenyatta nods, his face the perfect example of serenity. “Hanzo likes to talk about you.”

“He does?” Jesse asks, surprised.

“I may have mentioned you once or twice.” Hanzo coughs, trying to hide his blush.

Zenyatta laughs, “I believe you miscounted, my friend.”

“Perhaps I have.” Hanzo sighs, holding out a duffel bag to Jesse. “Those are the clothes Zenyatta brought from our dorm. I cannot wear them anymore.”

The other nods again, “Hanzo graduated high school two years earlier than normal. You should have seen him when he arrived, barely taller than you are now.” He sighs fondly, eliciting an eye roll from Hanzo. “I stopped on my way here to buy you some undergarments as well. I am glad I could finally use my gift card, it was about to expire.”

“Oh, thanks.” Jesse answers sheepishly, accepting the bag nonetheless.

“It has been a pleasure meeting you, Jesse but I must go. I hope we will meet again.” He turns to face his roommate, “Do you need a lift, Hanzo? I can drive you back if you want.”

“No, there is a place I wish to visit first. Thank you for the offer though.”

“Very well.” Zenyatta says, exiting the room with a wave of his hand.

Jesse waves back. “Hum… Hanzo? Could you, maybe… Wait outside?” he asks when his companion doesn’t move to leave.

“Yes, of course! My apologies.” The other answers as he slips out of the room.

Once he’s gone, Jesse opens the duffel bag. There are three pairs of boxers and ten pairs of socks in different sizes in a plastic bag with a note attached to them saying: “One can never have too many socks –Zen”. He snorts, picking a pair of each to try them on. The boxers are a bit too big but once he’s put one of Hanzo’s old pair of jeans on, they stop falling. Then Jesse spends ten minutes sorting through all of the shirts. Some of them really don’t look like the kind of things his friend would wear, especially the purple one with a pink bunny on it but who is he to judge? If Hanzo likes pink bunnies, he’s free to wear them, after all.

He freezes, a DragonForce t-shirt in hand. Did he just think of Hanzo as his _friend_? He doesn’t even know the guy! No… That’s not true, is it? He knows lots of things about him now… But is it enough to call him a friend?

“Jesse? Is everything alright?”

“YES!” He exclaims, surprised. “I was just lookin’ through your shirts.”

“Ah... The owner should arrive shortly, do you need help folding them back?”

“No, it’s fine! It’ll only take a minute!” He answers, shoving the shirts back into the bag and using the plastic bag to separate his dirty clothes from the rest. He quickly hides Peacekeeper back in his belt, puts the coat on even though it still smells bad -it’s the first gift he’s been given in a very long time after all- and balances the duffel bag on his shoulder before leaving.

It takes him a bit longer to put his boots back on but they’re soon out in the street. Hanzo closes the door behind them.

“If you ever need anything,” he says, turning to face Jesse. “You can use a phone booth to call me.” He reaches into his pocket and holds out a piece of paper with a number on it. “It has been a pleasure to see you again, Jesse.” He finishes, a soft smile on his face.

“Y-Yeah. See you Friday night, like we said!” Jesse answers, hand shaking a bit as he takes the paper and puts it in his pocket.

Hanzo nods. “At Union Park.”

“This still sounds like a date!” He snorts, turning away to continue his exploration… Missing how red Hanzo’s face becomes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehe!! I hope you liked it :3c
> 
> -What Jesse says in southern slang is that the showers look fancy/pompous.  
>  -Now a bit of explanations for the chapter title: it's from a french song (again) but this time it's from "Siffler sur la colline" by Joe Dassin!  
>  -The fact that Hanzo owns a DragonForce T-Shirt comes from this comic: http://ecchima.tumblr.com/post/158322552830/vimeddiart-going-to-the-supermarket-together-and
> 
> In case you'd like to know more about this fic or if you just want to talk, you can find me on twitter and/or tumblr under the name Ecchima o/ As always, if you liked the fic, if there's something you'd like to see in the future or if you just want to be nice, you can leave me a comment, those are my life force. Thank you for reading ♥


	3. I'm scared of your kindness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone o/ I'm terribly sorry for the delay, I had a lot of things going on lately and so did my amazing beta deviation (thank you so much for all your hard work on my silly fic, dear ♥)
> 
> I want to thank the genji txt twitter for one of the jokes I used in there and I want to thank all my friends who supports be daily, ily all

It’s 5:30am when Hanzo’s alarm goes off, waking him up to get ready for his morning run. He grunts and turns in an attempt to reach his phone on the ground. There are no bedside tables in the dorms, just a couple of desks and a cupboard in each room, forcing him –and every other student- to put things on the ground instead.

He finally manages to grip his phone after what feels like an little eternity of blindly patting the ground and nearly falls out of the bed. Hanzo squints at his screen, his eyes are still a little blurry from sleep but not enough to make the little texting symbols unrecognizable. He rubs his eyes then lets his hand slide along his cheek and cringes: he hates the feeling of morning stumble.

Part of him wishes to shave before going out but really, what’s the point in trying to make himself presentable if he’s going to come back sweaty and disgusting in an hour anyway? Hanzo tries not to dwell on his little pilosity issue too much and quickly changes into his training outfit. He doesn’t pay too much attention to the shirt he picks, it’s probably another DVA one, courtesy of Genji. Actually, most of his shirts are gifts from his brother. Since Hanzo left Hanamura two years ago, the younger Shimada has taken to the habit of sending him a shirt every month, saying he doesn’t want Hanzo’s taste to get worse than it already is while they’re apart.

Another text arrives as he laces his shoes, making him sigh. If it’s Genji –and judging by the time, it probably is- it can wait until he’s finished running. It can’t be Zen or another classmate, none of them are awake before 6:30am, his father calls once each trimester to check on his results but never texts him and Jesse doesn’t have a phone. He sighs. _Jesse_.

It’s been a month since they first met on Peace Avenue. He remembers how small and cold the other looked that day, sitting in a corner, his hat down in front of him and a crooked smile on his lips. As if he was reflecting on how he ended up alone in the street and knew he still made the right decision. Hanzo doesn’t know how a 16 years old ended up in the streets but if Jesse’s expression that day was anything to go by then he is sure that given the chance, the teen would make the same choices all over again.

He admires that. Lord knows if someone gave _him_ the chance to go back in time and make another decision, he would. Because Hanzo is incapable of following his instinct, he lives in a world of “what ifs” where he over-analyses all the possible choices. He only does what seems logical at the time and never what feels right, leaving him with regrets. However, he must have done the right thing with Jesse, even though it was logical for him to invite the teen for dinner -the other not being able to afford it. But it also must have been right somehow, because he doesn’t regret spending his money on him.

Hanzo’s phone buzzes again,bringing him back to the present. He's halfway through his routine- it's a sufficient place to take a break and answer. There are nine messages, all from Genji. He unlocks his phone and sighs.

He quickly types back “ _his name is Jesse”_ , pauses then adds “ _and no, I am not with him, it’s 6am_ ”.

“ _I know it’s 6am I checked the time, I told u_ ” Hanzo rolls his eyes as a second message arrives. “ _how come he’s not ur cowboyfriend yet?_ ”

“ _I’ve only known him for a month, Genji_ ”

_“hey! don’t u ‘Genji’ me, I know what my name is!”_

“ _Is that so?”_ Hanzo types back with a smirk.

_“yes, it is short for ‘Genji u are a disgrace to the clan’ and u didn’t answer my question”_

“ _I need to continue my training, and you need to go to bed_.” He hits send and starts running again, ignoring the buzzing in his pocket. He knows he won’t be able to dodge all of Genji’s questions but Jesse isn’t like any of his brother’s dates.

Even if Hanzo wanted to date him –which isn’t the case because they’re just _friends_ \- he doubts the other would accept. Because, honestly, why would he want to date Hanzo? He’s clearly not interested in his money and there are plenty of other men their age more attractive and better at socializing. Like Zenyatta. Or Genji. Besides, Jesse already has a lot on his plate without having to worry about something as trivial as a boyfriend.

Hanzo speeds up, his legs taking longer strides and hitting the sidewalk harder as he deepens his breaths: two shorts in, one long out in order to get his _friend_ out his head. It works for approximately three minutes as they’re supposed to meet in a few hours and he had exams last week, preventing him from seeing the other.

They’ve been seeing each other often however. At least two times a week, they walked in parks, talking about their lives. Jesse tends to dodge questions, turning any inquiry back on Hanzo, using jokes, or deliberately misinterpreting the question. He believes that wherever Jesse was before coming to San Francisco, he learned to protect himself using his brains and his silver tongue at his advantage. He mentioned his father once but deflected all the questions asked about him since then. The only thing Hanzo learnt about the other’s past is that he lived in New Mexico before arriving here.

But who is he to judge Jesse for keeping secrets? He doesn’t tell his friend much about his past either. He talks about Genji here and there, mentioned archery training once or twice and vaguely answers all the questions about his family. Telling half-truths designed to hide the fact that he’s from a powerful yakuza family.

He briefly wonders how Jesse would react if he showed him his dragons. As a Shimada, he’s been through intense training in order to be able to summon them, following his family’s tradition. Today, they are only called to impress and instill fear in the smaller clans but once upon a time, they were his family’s greatest weapons.

He slows down when he approaches the campus and sees Zenyatta standing near the gate with a bottle of water. His roommate looks as serene as ever when he greets him.

“Good morning, Hanzo. How was your jogging?”

“Greetings. It was alright.” He answers, accepting the bottle and taking a big gulp.

“I see. Was it only alright because of a certain homeless teen?” Zen’s tone is casual but the question still makes Hanzo swallow wrong and cough. “My apologies,” his friend says, lightly tapping his back. “I should have waited until you were done drinking. However, your reaction confirms my theory, my friend.”

“Are you and Genji texting again?” Hanzo manages to say between coughs.

“Perhaps.”

Hanzo takes a deep breath and sighs, trying not to cough again. “Jesse and I are just friends.”

“C’mon anija, you totally have a crush on that dude!!” Genji’s voice says.

He looks up to see Zenyatta holding out his phone, the younger Shimada is on screen in what seems to be a video call.

“You,” Hanzo points at the phone, “should be in bed and you,” he looks up at Zenyatta, “should not encourage him.”

“Stop avoiding the subject, brother!”

“Genji is right.”

Hanzo rubs his temples. It’s way too early for this.

“Listen, brother. We’re not asking you to confess to Jesse or whatever, we just want you to stop lying to yourself about this!”

Hanzo turns around and glares at his brother. “Goodnight, Genji.” He says as he ends the call and takes a deep breath. “Why does he have to be so annoying?”

“That is the way it goes, is it not? Younger siblings wouldn’t be the same if they did not annoy their elders.” Zenyatta chuckles, putting his phone back in his pocket. “However, I agree with Genji: it is unhealthy to lie to yourself about your feelings.”

Hanzo grunts. “I am not lying to myself about it. Jesse and I are only friends.”

“But you like him.”

“Yes, I do like him but I also like you and Genji, it does not mean anything.”

Zenyatta sighs and puts his hand on the other’s shoulder. “We will have time to discuss this further later. For now, you should go take a shower and change, I will make you coffee.”

Hanzo nods then starts jogging towards their shared bathroom. There are several dorms on campus, each arranged differently depending on their prices. Of course, Hanzo's father made sure his son would get only the best, so in his dorm each room is shared by two students and there's a bathroom every two rooms. Even better, Zenyatta and he are lucky since the room they're supposed to share a bathroom with is empty. Hanzo suspects that may be his father's doing, ensuring his precious heir could shower as often as he pleases and not need to follow a schedule like most of his classmates

It doesn’t take him long to clean up –and finally shave that awful morning stumble. Picking an outfit however, takes him longer than usual. Taking in consideration the weather, Hanzo has no other choice than to wear either a nerdy hoodie or a rather ugly Christmas jumper… He glances at the time, sighs and picks up a jacket harboring a small triforce on the front. It doesn’t look as refined as what he usually wears but he doubts anyone will mind.

When Hanzo enters the kitchen, Zenyatta is sitting at the table with two other students, each drinking from their favorite mug. Lena is the first to notice him, she shoots him a big smile and nudges Lúcio in the ribs.

“Good mornin’, Hanzo! How was your joggin’, love?”

“Am I seeing this right? The great Shimada wearing a Legend of Zelda hoodie to go out?” Lúcio pipes up.

“Greetings.” He says coolly, pouring himself a large mug of coffee before sitting next to Zenyatta.

Lena giggles, “Wow! That must be in your top five warmest greetings! You can just say hello, you know?” Hanzo stiffens, a slight frown forming on his face as he stares down at his coffee. Lena is quick to add,, “Don’t worry love, you’re doin’ great!”

“Yeah! We can really see the difference from when you first got here, don’t worry man, you’re good!” Lúcio grins.

Hanzo relaxes a bit and nods. He even manages a “thank you” before taking a sip from his mug. Lena shoots him a bright and energetic smile, so unlike the elders’ cold and empty ones he’s gotten used to over the years. Back in Japan, no one ever smiled to him warmly beside his brother and his mom. His dad smiles sometimes too but the older he gets, the colder his father’s smiles grow…

When he escapes his reverie, Lena is talking animatedly to Zenyatta about the Shambali –a monastery in the Himalaya- while Lúcio happily digs into a box of cereal. He watches them interact, hiding a smile behind his coffee and feeling his tensed muscles relax slowly. During moments like this, he often thinks about Genji and how well he would fit here, in the middle of those energetic and talented people he can call his friends. It never fails warming and hurting his heart at the same time, _bittersweet_ like English speakers says.

He’s only halfway into his breakfast when Hanzo’s phone rings. Excusing himself, Hanzo returns to his room, closing the door behind him, mug of coffee in hand. It’s probably Genji again and he doesn’t want anyone to hear his brother brag about how he has a crush on Jesse or something.

Once he’s inside, he locks the door and puts his mug on his desk before answering.

“ _Genji, I thought we agreed you needed to go to bed._ ” He says in Japanese.

“Uuuh… Hello? May I speak with Hanzo?”

“Jesse? Is that you?”

“Uh, yeah, it’s me.” There is a pause and Hanzo hears him cough. “Listen, I don’t think we should hang out today," another pause, a loud sniffle," Not that I don’t like you or anything but I'm," the sound of Jesse clearing his throat and swallowing, "I’m a bit sick and I wouldn’t want you to get it from me," he ends on a loud sniffle, his voice nasally and breathing from his mouth.

“Are you going to be alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry none ‘bout me, ‘k?”

“Jesse, I am already worried. Do you have a warm place to stay?”

The silence stretches a bit too long before the other answers, “Yeah, yeah, I do.” Hanzo can’t really hear it through the phone but Jesse’s breathing sounds weird. The bad kind of weird.

“I received a flu shot at the beginning of winter, I will be fine. Tell me where you are.”

“No, no, no, no, no! Hanzo, please don’t come. I’m phoning you from this old stinky phone box just so you wouldn’t come! Please, I’ll be fine. Just-” This time, he clearly hears Jesse coughing and it sounds terrible.

“Do not move from where you are, I will be here in a moment.” He looks at the number calling him, writes it down and looks up where it is situated on his laptop. Soon, Jesse’s location is sent back to Hanzo’s mobile. All he has to do is follow his GPS and be quick.

He dashes back into the kitchen, not caring about the curious glances he gets on the way there. He feels his heart beating faster than usual as he tries to dry his moist hands on his shirt. Before entering, he allows himself a minute to tidy his appearance and take a deep breath, slipping back into his familiar and comforting neutral frown.

“Zenyatta?” He calls as he enters, “Can you drive me somewhere very quickly?”

His friend nods, “I can. Is something wrong?”

Hanzo crosses his arms and shifts his weight on his other foot, uneasy. “I believe so.”

“Go ahead, I will be right beside you.” He answers, quickly standing up. Despite the urgency of the situation, his voice remains calm, one of the many reasons Hanzo appreciates his presence.

The both of them jog to the parking lot, Zenyatta apologizing every time they bump into someone. They jump in the car, barely taking the time to buckle up, Hanzo’s eyes hardly ever living his GPS as he guides his roommate through the streets of San Francisco. He has a hard time containing his frustration when a driver takes too long to start moving again after stop signs or traffic lights so he starts jumping his leg in an attempt to get rid of the energy.

The car might not have been his brightest idea to get to Jesse quickly but he feels like the other is in no condition to walk to a doctor, or at least to the dorms.

After 20 minutes of slow pace driving through the traffic, Hanzo lets out a frustrated noise and unbuckles his belt.

“I will go faster on foot,” he says as he opens the door. “Keep my phone, I memorized the map.”

Zenyatta glances at the GPS. “I should be here in half an hour, be careful my friend.”

“I will, thank you.”

In the end, it only takes Hanzo fifteen minutes of running through the clogged streets, barely noticing the small accident making cars and pedestrians stop -either to look curiously or because they don’t have any other choice- to reach the phone box from which Jesse called him, only to find it empty. He curses. He had told him to stay right here and not move! Who knows where Jesse is now? He could be anywhere! Coughing his lungs out in a dark alley or passing out in the middle of the road and get crushed by a car! What if he’s _dying_?

“Hanzo?”

He turns around at the sound of his name only to find Jesse with a bottle of water in his hands. His face is redder than normal and he looks tired but other than that, he looks ok.

“Sorry I moved. I was thirsty so I refilled my bottle. There’s a fountain in a park ten minutes away from here. Are you ok?”

He takes a deep breath and tries to calm down, “Yes.”

“Uh, you look kinda-” his friend begins but is cut by a violent coughing fit which lasts way too long to be from a harmless cause.

Hanzo hurries to his side and, not knowing how to help, just lays a hand on the other’s shoulder. He wishes he hadn’t left his phone with Zenyatta. He could call a Doctor, an ambulance, do something _useful_. Jesse falls to his knees and curls up on himself, still coughing until he spits something out into his hands. He lets out a relieved breath and winces, his throat probably feeling like sandpaper. He and Hanzo look down at the thing he spitted out and make a disgusted face.

“Do you have a tissue?” Jesse rasps out, warily eying the sort of yellowish goo in his hand. Hanzo nods, fishing a packet of paper handkerchiefs from his pockets. It takes him a few moments to peel the sticker off of it but eventually, he hands a tissue to his friend and watches him try to clean his hand.

“Sorry about that.”

“There is no need to apologize, you did not chose to be sick,” Hanzo answers.

“Yeah but you didn’t have to see that, it’s pretty gross,” he laughed, putting the tissue in his pocket.

Hanzo is just about to say that he doesn’t mind Jesse’s goo as long as he knows the other is ok when Zenyatta’s car stops near them.

“Greetings, Jesse. What is the emergency?”

“Emergency?” He asks, looking at Hanzo with a confused look.

“Yes, you started coughing and… It sounded pretty bad, I thought you could not breathe.” He admits, bashful.

“Well if I’m bein’ honest it felt like it too,” Jesse admits. “And I’d hate to make you sick but I must say it feels pretty good to see ya,” he smiles and coughs again, missing the faint pink across Hanzo’s cheeks.

“Perhaps it would be wiser for you to rest, Jesse.” Zenyatta says, looking at his phone, “they are announcing a pretty strong wind this afternoon, it might be a problem if the place you are using is missing chunks of wall or roof.”

“Damn… The place I found is pretty warm though, I should be fine.”

“No.” Both Zenyatta and Jesse look back at him with raised eyebrows so Hanzo continues. “You are already sick, Jesse. If you stay in a room where the wind can enter, you will only get sicker. I know you do not want to impose or be a burden but it is important you take the time to heal.”

“I’ve already been sick while in the streets, Hanzo, I’ll be fine.”

“You said yourself that your coughing made it hard for you to breathe, your defenses are lowered. What will you do if you get worse?” He shakes his head, “I refuse to let you spend the night outside.”

Jesse is about to retort when Zenyatta cuts him. “The room adjacent to ours has not been assigned to anyone. Perhaps you could use it until you feel better.”

“I don’t wanna put you both into trouble if someone finds out.”

Hanzo scoffs, “Genji uses this room when he visits me, no one would care.”

“And it’s only for a couple of days,” his roommate adds.

Jesse rubs the back of his neck, he doesn’t look entirely convinced.

“At least stay until the wind calms down. If you truly do not wish to stay then, I will not force you to,” Hanzo says softly. _Otherwise I won’t be able to focus_ , he doesn’t say.

To his relief, Jesse agrees to spend the day in the unoccupied room. They all get back into the car and suffer traffic yet again. Hanzo finds he doesn’t mind it as much this time, especially with Jesse dozing off on the backseat. He spends the entire ride stealing glances at the cowboy and only gets caught once or twice by his roommate, making him chuckle.

When they finally reach the campus and park the car at 8:45am, Jesse is sleeping on the backseat and neither of them wants to wake him up. They watch him sleep for a few minutes, thinking that maybe the lack of movement would wake him up. When the cowboy only seem to sleep deeper, Zenyatta proposes to carry him to the spare room. Hanzo can feel his cheeks warm up but agrees nonetheless. He lets his roommate carry Jesse’s duffel bag and lead the way while he gathers himself, slowly breathing in and out in an attempt to get rid of the red splayed across his cheeks. He approaches the sleeping teen, slowly sliding an arm behind his lower back when the other jumps and punches him. Hanzo takes a step back and clutches his nose, heavily cursing in japanese. He definitely did _not_ see that coming.

“Oh shit Han, I’m so sorry,” Jesse sputters, holding Hanzo’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to punch you! I mean, I did but I didn’t know it was you! Fuck, I’m really sorry.”

“It is not your fault, I startled you.” He answers, trying to reach a tissue in his pocket.

As soon as the packet is out, Jesse gently takes his hand to get it. “Here, lemme help ya,” he almost whispers, getting a paper tissue out, “lemme see.”

Hanzo begrudgingly drops his hands, not used to show any weaknesses, revealing his throbbing and no doubt bloody nose. He fights the urge to sniffle, knowing it would only make the pain worse, as Jesse uses the tissue to delicately wipe out the mess he caused, never stopping his flow of curses and apologies.

Once his nose stops overflowing with blood, Hanzo thanks Jesse for his help and guides him through the campus. Fortunately, they don’t walk pass many students on their way to the dorms. A group of first years hungover, some senior years walking with their noses in their books and a couple of students Hanzo doesn’t know casting questioning glances their way but no teachers, no Lúcio and more importantly, no Lena or Sombra. He sighs, relief flooding through him when he sees the door and is certain that besides Zenyatta, no one knows they smuggled a homeless teen in a free room. An underaged one at that.

When they enter the room, Zenyatta is nowhere to be seen but they find Jesse’s bag in the spare room and Hanzo pretends he doesn’t notice the sigh of relief his friend lets out when he sees it or how his hands are twitching, probably wanting to check that nothing is missing inside.

“You can take a shower and change if you wish, I will prepare the bed.”

Jesse nods before picking up -and slightly clutching- his bag. Again, Hanzo pretends he doesn’t notice how vital the item is for him. “Ok, yeah, I’ll do that, thanks Han.”

“You are welcome,” he answers, following the other in the bathroom and opening a little cabinet full of towels. He retrieves one of them and gives it to his friend who mumbles a sheepish “thank you”. Hanzo nods and offers him a little smile as he closes the door between them.

It only takes him twenty minutes to find Genji’s old sparrow bedsheets and make the bed. As soon as he’s finished, Jesse appears in the doorway with wet hair and an oversized doge shirt. He’s wearing a pair of pajama trousers with clouds and rainbows on it. Hanzo recognizes it as the pair Genji bought him when he came out as gay to his brother about a year ago.

“Thanks for the towel,” Jesse says as he approaches, “and for making the bed.”  He sits on the bed and puts the cleanly folded towel on his lap. “Actually, thank you for lending me a bed in the first place,” he chuckles.

“You are welcome,” Hanzo answers, sitting next to him.

“Sorry I’m such a deadweight… And for punching you in the face earlier...”

“You do not need to apologize, we are friends.”

“You’re too good to me, Han.” Jesse sighs, falling backwards on the bed.

“Is this my new name?” Hanzo asks playfully.

His friend stays silent and frowns slightly, considering, “I’m too lazy to talk.” He finally says, smilling.

Hanzo swears his heart stops for a second. “We have some DVDs in case you get bored,” he says, turning his back to Jesse to get the items and hide his face.

“Do you have any old movies?”

“It depends what you call ‘old’,” he chuckles, grabbing his DVD case.

“Like… Westerns?”

Hanzo shoots his friend a knowing smirk, remembering how excited Jesse got whenever cowboys were mentioned. “I may have a few.”

“Please tell me you’re not counting Back to the Future 3 as a Western.”

“I would never dare to, not after your three hour rant two weeks ago.”

Jesse gapes indignantly, “it didn’t last three hours!!”

“You are right, it lasted at least four,” he smirks then chuckles as his friend starts pouting.

They keep chatting about movies for a moment, Hanzo realizing just how much he missed their easy banter and how easily Jesse can make him laugh and forget his responsibilities. How he makes him feel like the teenager he actually is and not some stoic 25 years old businessman.

Jesse starts yawning and it doesn’t take long for him to fall asleep after that. However, Hanzo does not leave immediately. Instead, he watches Jesse’s peaceful face, listens to his raspy breathing and fights the urge to push his hair from his face.

After half an hour of silent contemplation, he stands up, carefully moves Jesse from over to under the covers and whispers:

“Sleep well, little cowman.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter comes from the song "Ça ira" by Joyce Jonathan (which is lovely, you should totaly listen to it)
> 
> Now I'm gonna be on hiatus for an entire month so the next chapter is not gonna come out too quickly, sorry! Hopefully during the summer I should be able to write more often ♥ As always, thank you for reading and not giving up on this fic, I promise to finish it!  
> (psssst, don't forget to leave a comment, it's what motivates me to write!!)


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